Southern California -- this just in

Lion in fatal attack had lived at animal park since it was a cub

The lion that was shot and killed at a Fresno County wild animal park after fatally attacking someone in its cage had lived at the park nearly its entire life, a spokeswoman said.

The 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous had been hand-raised at Project Survival's Cat Haven since he was 8 weeks old, said Tanya Osegueda, a spokeswoman for Project Survival, the nonprofit that operates the park in eastern Fresno County. Osegueda said the lion was euthanized after the attack "per guidelines" but did not elaborate. She did not confirm that a worker was killed.

Details about the Wednesday attack remain unclear.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Ryan Michaels told The Times that emergency crews were called to the scene after a reported animal bite, but the victim was declared dead by the time they arrived. Michaels said the person was inside the cage when the attack occurred.

Local media reported that the victim was an employee, but Michaels was unable to confirm it.

According to Cat Haven’s answering machine, the park is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays for its “winter hours.” Calls and messages seeking comment were not immediately returned.

"Project Survival's Cat Haven promotes the conservation and preservation of wild cats in their native habitat by educating visitors and publicizing the work done by Project Survival Cat Conservation Group," its website states.